How Compressed Air Risks Lives

Installing a compressed air safety fuse protects your people from sudden hose burst and whiplash, reducing injury risk and helping you comply with the Workplace Health & Safety Act.

Compressed Air is Dangerous!

All Australian businesses and their officers must take all reasonable practical measures to minimise or eliminate WHS risks to all people at a place of business. Including installing safety devices or implementing safe work policies, procedures and training to mitigate risks. – Commonwealth’s Workplace Health and Safety Act

A burst hose or hose that releases from a coupling causes a serious safety hazard

Compressed Air Risks

With so many Workplace Health and Safety (WHS) issues to consider, compressed air might not seem a high priority, but it is a serious, life threatening hazard that deserves much more attention – especially since many users don’t realise how dangerous compressed air is. Compressed air creates four main hazards, some of them deadly:

Air pressure. Air under high pressure can penetrate the skin, causing haemorrhaging, lacerations, organ damage and embolisms, or damaging sensitive tissue such as the eyes or ear drums. Pressure as low as 12psi can rupture an eyeball.

Noise. Compressed air can reach or exceed 120 decibels, which is equivalent to jet plane, causing WHS noise pollution issues.

Particles. Air at 40psi can drive particles into the eyes and face with the force of shrapnel. Flying particles can cause cuts and bruises to other parts of the body.

Whiplash. When a pressurised air line bursts, or a hose coupling inadvertently releases, a highly dangerous whiplash will result in a thrashing hose becoming a dangerous projectile. If tools are attached, or the line is large diameter, the dangers increase dramatically. There are documented cases of severe injuries and death caused by high velocity, thrashing air hoses striking people.

Still not convinced? The following are some documented examples of employees being killed by unsecured compressed air hoses:

A NZ road worker died from massive head injuries after an air hose burst and struck his head. Death occurred despite the worker wearing a hard hat.

A NSW miner died after a 250psi air hose became kinked and burst, striking the miner.

A QLD worker died after being struck in the head after an unsecured air hose blew off its fittings

To find out how to prevent compressed air from killing or injuring your workers, customers or contractors or machinery, simply enter your email address below to receive a Free PDF Whitepaper on Compressed Air Safety.

Your Name (required)

Your Email (required)

The following video is a before and after demonstration of how an air hose will whiplash when a compressed air safety fuse is not installed, and the reduced risk following installation of the safety fuse.

Contact Us for More Information

Concerned about the risks of whiplash or hose burst from your compressed air operations? We can help! Just click on the Contact Us button and we will email you with more information.